Stanislaus

"This is just a beginning." I never read Herbert's novel, so I went to the cinema as a blank slate and with sober expectations, given the fuss around and the long wait for the premiere. Dune is definitely one of those films that you have to experience (and enjoy) in the cinema, as it is an audiovisually polished orgy that is admittedly not unprecedented for today's technical capabilities, Nevertheless, it managed to thrill and satisfy me – from the soulfully ethnic soundtrack with "a touch of heavy metal", to the beautiful scenery with sometimes appealingly arranged planning, to the precise sound effects work (the short but distinctive vocal delivery of the worms evoked the heptapods from Arrival). Dune offers interesting storylines (the chosen saviour, the interbreeding of clans, the hiearchy and strife between nations, Bene Gesserit, Baron "SS" and others), which will be interesting to see how they develop further in the next installment of the saga – provided the project gets the green light. This fact was a minor stumbling block for me, because it was obvious that this is a kind of appetizer or first course, which is supposed to get me up, hungry and attracted, but cannot fully satisfy me. A solid four stars! PS: Subjective observation: at times, Dune evoked the atmosphere of Miyazaki's films, especially the ecological Nausicaä of The Valley of the Wind.

An MCU-film coupled with the Oscar-winning director of the notable Nomadland immediately caught my attention, making a visit to the cinema almost urgent - despite the rather lukewarm trailer. At times, Eternals quite blatantly tries to be the most multi-cultural, tolerant and all-encompassing film from Marvel, which it manages to do in a universally unobtrusive manner for most of its running time. Technically, it's an audiovisual orgy, but that's what we're used to with films like this. I'd like to single out the appearance of the Deviants and Celestials. Aside from that, I enjoyed the various abilities and characteristics of the Eternals (Thena being most interesting to me), who were given ample space to be introduced where possible – hopefully we'll learn more in a possible sequel. I don't want to spoil anything here, but I appreciated the idea regarding the Eternals' main quest – it was similarly unsettling to Thanos's snap. Both post-credit scenes were a bit odd, but they served their purpose – curiosity is a bitch.

If you look at the basic story skeleton of the film and the constellation of characters, Ron’s Gone Wrong offers nothing new, but the "skeleton" is wrapped in a charming and highly topical package, which makes the film an apt and humorous affair. I was incredibly entertained during the 100-minute running time, but I was also moved at the same time. The instructive line pointing out the dangerous dependence on technology, which goes hand in hand with the growing communication gap, did not leave me cold either. The biggest portion of entertainment, besides the "defective" Ron, was of course provided by Grandma Donka and Martina the goat, who gave my diaphragm a solid workout. A nice and non-violent presentation of all the possible pitfalls within Generation Z.

Movies like Born Free (whether with a lion or a dog) don't need to have a complex plot, because sometimes you just need to enjoy the incredible shots of wild animals and nature. This is also the case with The Wolf and the Lion. The film doesn't have much to surprise story-wise, and at times it plays on the emotions in a blatantly sentimental way, but it's still nice to watch, offering a decent soundtrack alongside the beautiful footage of animals and nature. A cool family affair!

The Last Duel won me over in particular because of its layered narrative: the viewer watches three differently rendered versions of several key events leading up to a raw, life-and-death fight. It was interesting to see the subtle nuances to crucial differences in each story, which fit the central characters perfectly. What might have been an everyday affair for one was a harrowing experience for another – actually the other. The part devoted to Marguerite and her version of the story, in which the until recently unknown to me Jodie Comer excelled, was without a doubt the one that got to me the most. Matt Damon and Adam Driver were also good, but Comer still stood out above them in my view. In addition to a strong and timeless story and compelling performances, the film also captivates because of its audiovisual execution – the costumes, the production design and music, and the excellent camera work (especially in the action scenes). Holding the whole thing together is the solid and assured direction of veteran Ridley Scott, who is definitely not yet part of the old guard. The only thing I found a bit off about the film in places was the not always adequate vocabulary – some of the lines felt rather contemporary.

Venom 2 is a perfect example of a one-off action flick. Story-wise, it doesn't have much to surprise – except perhaps, if I'm getting ahead of myself, the post-credit scene – and with a relatively short running time, there's not really much room for any plot-twists (except maybe one tiny one). The film relies mainly on action, light (black-and-red) humour and the interaction between the two "aliens", which doesn't always work. The character of Frances "Banshee" Barrison was largely underused, which is a shame. A brisk, perhaps a bit too digital in places for (really) just one viewing!

Even Mice Belong in Heaven will appeal to both children and adults: young audiences will appreciate the unusual animation and funny characters, while the older ones will also enjoy a lot of life wisdom and a mature story. The film may be a bit simplistic and childish in places – it is a family flick after all – but on the other hand it doesn't lack depth or the element of surprise, and it also manages to convey the theme of death in a way that isn't cheesy or kitschy. I'm glad I didn't read the synopsis before the screening, I was all the more surprised afterwards.. PS: the "bathhouse" and the "water purifier" scenes reminded me fleetingly of Spirited Away.

In many ways, Firebird reminded me of the earlier Burning Blue, which also depicted a "forbidden relationship (not only) in a military setting". The "artificial" English spoken by the actors was quite detrimental to the film, as it detracted from the authenticity of some of the scenes; besides, I would have cut the film by a quarter of an hour. On the other hand, it was a fairly solid romantic drama, albeit slightly predictable, with more than one nice shot and moment.

In his (so far) last film, Xavier Dolan addresses similar themes as in his previous films, and yet Matthias & Maxime does not feel like a mere rip-off and recycling of already used motifs. The first half of the film has a more leisurely pace, with Dolan "mercilessly" robbing the viewer of that kiss, only to then continue playing with us and trying to stretch our expectations. A lot of the characters in the film shout (too much), and I found the music used during some scenes a bit out of place, yet I enjoyed the screening. Whether it was through the tense scenes with the mother, in which Dolan's "court mother" Anne Dorval shines, or during the confrontations between Max and Matt, which ranged from angry ignorance to tender sensuality. Three and three-quarters stars!

With its intimate atmosphere and the subtle yet obvious sensual tension between the main characters, The Man with the Answers largely evoked Marco Berger's work. On the one hand, I commend the dynamic genre of the road-trip-movie, on the other hand, my overall impression of the film was a bit marred by the "Italian-ness" of the characters and a certain superficiality of the individual storylines (the feeling of uprootedness, family reunion after years, romance on the road). In the end, I enjoyed the film, but I'm sure more could have been extracted from the premise, be it on a dramatic, romantic or even comedic level.